Europe to sign quantum deal with Japan
The European Commission is to sign a letter of intent with the Japanese government to boost cooperation in quantum technologies.
This follows an extension of semiconductor research below 2nm, tapping into the sub-2nm pilot line run by imec and the Rapidus line in Japan at the third Digital Partnership Council in Tokyo this morning.
- Japan plans 2nm AI successor to Fugaku supercomputer
- Meta installs first submarine data cable using aluminium
The two are also expanding a deal to develop a submarine cable to connect Europe and Japan directly via the Arctic circle. Proposed in 2021, this would be the first such submarine cable and a key tool for resilience.
“We have seen parties to different conflicts threatening to harm cable infrastructure. In many cases, Europe would be at the fallout of such actions. This is yet another reason why Arctic subsea cables are not only attractive but also necessary,” says Ieva Muraškienė of Nordic research group NORDUnet.
The existing route through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea area is used by multiple connections which is a high-risk factor, even if the geopolitical tensions in that region had not existed.
Two connections have been suggested to provide redundancy. Far North Fibre is intended to link Europe and Japan through the North-West Passage between Greenland and Northern Canada, while Polar Connect is to follow a more direct route, passing under the ice cap of the North Pole, towards North America and East Asia.
European companies Prysmian and Nexans are key suppliers for such a project.
The two suggested connections, both in preparation stages, fit well with several European Union initiatives aiming to increase the digital sovereignty of the continent and link to Nordic sustainable datacentres powered by renewable hydro power.
The deal with Japan also includes extending 5G and 6G telecoms research with the 6G MIRAI-HARMONY project which aims to develop AI powered networks for user-focused communications.
Executive-Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Japanese Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Minoru Kiuchi will sign the Letter of Intent on quantum technology tomorrow.
Last year’s agreement included reciprocal access for researchers to their supercomputers, with Fugaku on the Japanese side, and LUMI in Finland, Leonardo in Italy and Mare Nostrum 5 in Spainon the EU side as well as research and standardisation in 5G and beyond;
The fourth Digital Partnership Council is planned for 2026, in Brussels.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
